Sally M's Swedish Coffee Bread

Submitted by StevenHB

"As prepared by my mother-in-law."

 

• Ready In: 4hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 2 loaves
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 6 tablespoons butter or 6 tablespoons margarine
• 2 eggs
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom or 6 whole cardamom seeds, crushed
• 4 1⁄2 - 5 cups flour

directions

1. Combine milk and butter in a saucepan and heat until lukewarm (105-115F). Pour into mixing bowl.
2. Add eggs, sugar, salt, yeast, cardomon and 1 cup flour.
3. Beat for 2 minutes with electric mixer.
4. Gradually add flour, stirring by hand until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
5. Place dough on a floured board and knead for 8-10 minutes.
6. Transfer to a greased bowl and allow to rise until doubled in size.
7. Punch dough down and divide in half then divide each half into 3 pieces.
8. Roll each piece into a rope and create two braided loaves, each with three pieces.
9. Place loaves in two greased bread pans, brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
10. Preheat oven to 350°F.
11. Allow loaves to rise until doubled.
12. Bake in oven, approximately 30 minutes.

Reviews

[WorkingMom2three]

I made this for Christmas because my SIL and niece were coming, and they were hankering for the Swedish coffee bread that their mother (and nana) had always bought from the Swedish bakery. We talked about traveling to Worcester to get the bread, but I decided to give it a try first. According to my husband, SIL, and neice, it was excellent - no need to go to the bakery :-) I thought it was a bit dense, but they assured me that is the way it is supposed to be. I used my KitchenAid mixer for all the kneading. I think when I make it again, I will add a little more cardamon (or buy fresh - mine must be 10 years old!).